Piston cleaning machine



Oct. 5, 1954 w. A. CONINX 0,

PISTON CLEANING MACHINE Filed Nov. 24, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 William fl. C om'ni A 7' TORNE Y L A l Oct. 5, 1954 w. A. CONINX PISTON CLEANING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 24, 1948 M x m n o C @W .v M Q M T 1% up? wm W mm um Patented Oct. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE PISTON CLEANING MACHINE William A. Coninx, St. Paul, Minn.

Application November 24, 1948, Serial No. 61,847

Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in piston cleaning machines wherein it is desired to provide a simple and effective means of cleaning the outer surface of a piston or similar article.

In the repairing and rebuilding of internal combustion engines such as automobile engines and the like, it is usual practice to remove the pistons from the motor and to clean the coating of carbon from the surface thereof. This is usually done on a wire buffing wheel or similar device. The piston must be held against the buffing wheel and rotated so that the entire surface of the piston is subjected to the bufling action. The top end of the piston is also buffed to remove the deposit therefrom. Several minutes time is usually required to clean each piston.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective device for cleaning the outer surfaces of pistons. The pistons are merely placed in my device and are automatically subjected to a bufling action, both on the head end and about the skirt or piston wall. Thus while the operator is removing the piston rings, replacing piston rings, or doing some other task, the piston may be automatically cleaned.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a piston cleaning means which is variable to accommodate pistons of numerous sizes. As a result the piston may be quickly mounted in place for cleaning or quickly removed from cleaning position.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a piston cleaning device employing liquid for assistance in dissolving the deposit on the piston surfaces. It is usually necessary to buff the pistons in a relatively dry state to prevent excessive spattering of the cleaning liquid from the buffing wheel. My piston cleaning device is mounted within a closed cabinet so that liquid can be used in the cleaning operation without spraying the operator with the cleaning solution.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a piston cleaning device including a cabinet having a' closure therefor and in mounting the piston buffing wheel for pivotal movement with the closure. As a result the buffing wheel is automatically disengaged from the surface of the piston at the same time the cover of the cabinet or housing is open.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specification:

Figure l is a side elevational view of my device in closed position.

Figure 2 is an elevation View of the opposite side of the device from that illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the casing on the line 3-3 of Figure 4 showing the relationship of the various parts therein.

Figure 4 is a transverse section view through the cabinet, the position of the section being indicated by the line i-4 of Figure 2.

The piston cleaning apparatus A includes a housing or cabinet indicated in general by the numeral iii. The cabinet It includes a rear wall H, a front wall l2, and opposed end walls I3 and M. A hopper shaped bottom It may, if desired, be supported between the end walls l3 and i4 and a drain it may be provided at the lowest point of the bottom. A screen IT may be positioned above the bottom it so as to prevent large particles of material from entering the drain. If desired the bottom i5 may be removable fcr cleaning and the like.

The casing closure includes a curved top panel 19 having integral end panel portions 20 and 21 connected to opposite ends thereof. The end panel 2| lies in overlapped relation with the upper edge 22 of the end wall I 3 and preferably lies inwardly thereof so that cleaning fluid draining down the walls of the end panel 2 I will drop within the end wall M. The end panel 20 at the opposite end of the curved top panel l9 overlaps with a second panel 23. The second panel 23 in turn overlaps an upwardly extending edge 24 forming a part of the end Wall l3.

A bracket or standard 25 is provided rearwardly of the casing and supports a suitable transversely extending shaft 26. A top supporting bracket 21 is bolted or otherwise secured to the shaft 26. The bracket 2'! includes a downwardly extending flange 29 which is pivotal with respect to the shaft 26 into position directly above the rear wall H. A back panel 30 is mounted on the bracket flange 29 to pivot therewith. The end wall panel 23 is secured to the rear panel 30 and pivots therewith. A hinge 3| is provided between the rear wall panel 39 and the curved top panel 68.

A front closure panel 32 is hingedly connected at 33 to the forward edge of the curved top panel I9. This front closure panel 32 is so designed as to be guided into overlapping relation with the upper end 34 of the front cabinet wall 3 l2. Thus when the closure is in the position illustrated in the drawings the operating mechanism is entirely enclosed.

The entire closure may if desired comprise a series of walls rigidly connected together. In other words, the hinges 3| and 33 may be eliminated and the rear wall 39 and front closure panel 32 may form a part of the top wall [9. However, with the particular structure illustrated the top portion of the closure may be hinged to permit ready access to the upper buffing wheel which will be later described.

A hearing 35 may be mounted upon the end wall panel 23 or otherwise supported in fixed relation to the shaft 26. The bearing 35 is designed to support a rotatable shaft 36. One end of the shaft projects into the cabinet I and supports an elongated bufiiing wheel 31. The buffing wheel is held in place by any suitable means against a collar 39 on the shaft 36 by a nut 40 or other suitable means. The portion of the shaft 36 outwardly of the cabinet I9 supports a pulley 4|.

A double pulley 42 is rotatably supported upon the shaft 26. One portion of the pulley 42 is connected to the pulley 4| by means of a driving belt 43. The other portion of the double pulley 42 is connected by a second belt 44 to a pulley 45 mounted upon the drive shaft 46. The drive shaft 46 is connected to any suitable source of supply of power such as an electric motor, not illustrated in the drawings. The shaft 45 may be supported by suitable bearings such as 4'! on the standard 25.

It will be noted that the shaft 36 is supported by the end wall panel 23 which is hingedly connected to the bracket 2? which rotates about the axis of the shaft 26. Thus the distance between the shafts 26 and 39 remains constant allowing the closure to hinge about the shaft 26 without dificulty. A resilient roller 49 is mounted upon a transverse shaft 59 supported by the casing end walls l3 and M. The shaft 59 extends through the end wall I4 and is provided with a pulley on its extremity. The pulley 5| is connected by a belt 52 to a cooperable pulley 53 on the drive shaft 46. Thus rotation of the drive shaft acts to rotate the resilient roller 49.

A pivot shaft 54 is supported between the end. walls l3 and I4. A pair of spaced arms 55 are pivotally supported on the shaft 54 and are connected by a connecting plate 55 to insure pivotal movement of the arms in unison. A shaft 5! is supported by the free ends of the arms 55 and a resilient roller 59 is rotatably supported upon the shaft 51. The shaft 5! extends through an arcuate slot 69 in the casing wall l4. A pulley Si is provided on the shaft 5'! externally of the cabinet. A resilient belt 62 connects the pulley 6! with a cooperable pulley 58 on the shaft 50. The resilient belt 52 is capable of stretching or contracting to allow for variations in the distance between the shafts 50 and 51.

A threaded operating rod 53 extends through a slot in the plate 56 and into a threaded boss 64 held from axial movement on a threaded shaft I9. The spring 66 is interposed between the adjusting nut 65 on the rod 53, and the pivotal plate 56. By rotating the handle end 97 of the operating rod 63, the pivotal adjustment of the plate 56 and the arms 55 connected thereby may be varied. In other words, by rotation of the adjusting rod 63 the arms 55 may be pivoted in a counter-clockwise or a clockwise direction to change the position of the roller 59.

A third resilient roller 69 is supported upon a transverse shaft 10 between a pair of arms 1| rotatably supported upon a fixed transverse shaft 72. A plate 13 connects the arms H to insure rotation of both arms in unison about the shaft 12. Links 14 are pivotally connected at 15 to the plate 13 and are pivotally connected at 16 to a cross head 17 on a threaded shaft 19. The threaded shaft 19 extends through the front wall 12 of the cabinet and is equipped with a hand wheel by means of which the shaft may be rotated. By rotating the shaft 19 the cross head 17 may be moved longitudinally along the axis of the shaft, thus pivoting the arms H in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction about the fixed pivot shaft 12. This swings the rubber roller 69 toward or away from the roller 49. The shaft 19 extends through the end wall M of the cabinet, extending through a curved slot 8| therein. A pulley B2 is mounted upon the shaft 10 externally of the cabinet iii. A resilient belt 83 connects the pulley 82 to a cooperable pulley 84 on the shaft 59 and is driven thereby. Variations in the distance between the shafts 59 and 10 merely stretches or contracts the resilient belt 83.

A shaft 85 is supported by a suitable bearing on the cabinet end wall l3 and extends through the end wall. On the end of the shaft within the cabinet I9 I provide a boiling wheel 85 which is arranged with its wires generally parallel to the axis of the shaft 85. The bufilng wheel 84 is held in place by a suitable clamping nut 97 recessed into the bufling wheel. The end of the shaft 85 externally of the cabinet I9 is equipped with a pulley 89 which is connected by a belt 99 to a cooperable pulley 9| on the drive shaft 45. A plunger shaft 92 is supported by the cabinet wall I4 to slide transversely in parallel relation to the rollers 49, 59, and 69. The shaft 92 is splined to its support so as to be held from rotation, or, if desired, the plunger shaft 92 may be held from rotation by means of an integral arm 88 which extends about the parallel shaft 54. An arm 98 is connected to the shaft 92 to extend radially with respect thereto. The arm 98 supports one or a series of rollers 94 which are rotatable about the red 99. A spring 95 is interposed between the casing walls l4 and the arm 98 to urge the arm toward the bufiing wheel 86. This arm 98 is designed to urge the pistons being cleaned against the buffing wheel 86 so that the end of the piston may be cleaned.

The shaft 92 is provided with a pivotally attached handle 96 thereupon by means of which the shaft may be pulley outwardly, compressing the spring 95. A notch 91 is provided in a bracket 99 supported on the housing wall l4 adjacent the shaft 93. A pin I99 on the handle 96 is cngageable with the notch 91. When the shaft 98 is pulley out a sufficient distance the pin Hill on the handle end 95 may ride over the bracket 99 and engage in the notch 9'! to hold the shaft 98 in outward position.

A pipe I92 is supported adjacent the roller 59 and is connected by a conduit I93 to a suitable supply of cleaning liquid. The tube 02 is provided with a series of spaced apertures therethrough through which the cleaning fluid may flow. When the device is in operation fluid is forced through the tube [92 and is sprayed over the top of the roller 59 and against the surface of the piston I84 supported between the rollers 49, 59, and 59. The liquid is preferably sprayed by a suitable pump, not illustrated in the drawings, which receives the liquid from the drain l6 and forces it under pressure against the piston. The pump usually is connected to the drive shaft 46 for operation in unison with the remainder of the apparatus.

In operation a piston I94 is placed between the rollers 59 and 59 to rest upon the roller 49. The hand wheel 89 is usually rotated in one direction to pivot the roller 69 away from the roller 49 a distance sufficient to allow the piston to enter between the rollers 59 and 99. The hand wheel 80 is then rotated in a reverse direction until the roller 69 is drawn against the surface of the piston I04.

The casing closure is then swung in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3 of the drawings until the buffing wheel 31 engages the surface of the piston. As the closure is pivoted into closed position a switch is preferably actuated to start the source of power supply which rotates the shaft 46.

Rotation of the shaft 46 acts through the belts 44 and 43 to drive the buffing wheel 31. Simultaneously the drive shaft 46 starts the buifing wheel 86 into operation through the belt 90. At the same time the shaft 59 is rotated, driving the shafts 57 and 79 in unison therewith.

Operation of the shafts 50, 57 and I0 causesrotation of the rollers 49, 59 and 69 in unison. These rollers contact the outer surface of the piston I04 and slowly rotate the piston. As the piston rotates about its axis the exterior surface of the cylindrical piston wall or skirt contacts the buffing wheel 31 and is cleaned thereby.

Before starting the drive shaft in operation the end 99 of the lever 190 is disengaged from the notch 91, allowing the arm 98 and its rollers 94 to engage against the open end of the piston. The spring 95 urges the piston against the bufiing wheel 86, thereby cleaning the closed or head end of the piston as the same rotates.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my piston cleaning apparatus, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A piston cleaning apparatus for cleaning pistons having a generally cylindrical side wall and a closed head end, the apparatus comprising an open top casing, a pivotal cover for closing said casing, means for rotatively supporting a piston on a substantially horizontal axis within said casing, and a buffing wheel rotatively carried by said cover on a substantially horizontal axis and engageable with said piston side wall when said cover is pivoted into closed position.

2. A piston cleanin apparatus for cleaning pistons having a generally cylindrical side wall and a closed head end, the apparatus comprising an open top casing, means for rotatably supporting a piston within said casing, a cover for closing said open top of said casing, a shaft journalled in one end of said cover and extending into said cover, a buffing wheel carried by the shaft portion extending into said cover, a pulley carried by said shaft external of said cover, a second shaft in parallel spaced relation with said first shaft, a pulley on said second shaft, bracket means connected with said cover and pivotally supported on said second shaft, and belt means trained over said pulleys, whereby the cover may be opened and closed by pivoting said bracket means about said second shaft, said buffing wheel engaging said piston in closed position of said cover.

3. A piston cleaning apparatus for cleaning pistons having a generally cylindrical side wall and a closed head end, the apparatus comprising roller means on which the piston may be supported, said roller means and the supported piston being arranged on parallel axes, a buffing wheel engageable with the head end of the piston, roller means engageable with the other end of the piston, a plunger supporting said roller means substantially radial to the axis of the supported piston, means including a spring biasing said plunger toward the supported piston, said spring thereby urging said piston against said buffing wheel, and latch means for holding said plunger in a retracted position.

4. A piston cleaning apparatus for cleaning pistons having a generally cylindrical side wall and a closed head end, the apparatus comprising a roller on which the piston may be supported in axial parallel relation, a pair of rollers engageable with the side wall of the piston in angularly spaced relation to the first roller, respective pivotally mounted arm means for rotatively supporting each of said pair of rollers, transverse shaft means on a plane substantially normal to the roller axes, a pair of elements on said shaft means, a threaded connection between said shaft means and one of said elements, rotation of said shaft moving said one element longitudinally, and respective link means connecting between said elements and said arm means, the other of said elements being held from movement with respect to said shaft means.

5. The structure described in claim 4 in which the link means connecting said other of said elements and its arm means constitutes a rod having a threaded end threa'dedly received in said one of said elements, whereby the effective length of said last referred to link means may be adjusted to thereby move one roller of said pair of rollers relative to the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 432,144 Muncaster July 15, 1890 966,507 Wright Aug. 9, 1910 980,052 Blevney et al Dec. 27, 1910 1,106,795 Ewald Aug. 11, 1914 1,415,258 Nelson May 9, 1922 1,454,031 Babcock May 8, 1923 1,770,201 Eaton July 8, 1930 1,779,618 Phelps Oct. 28, 1930 1,880,875 Deutsch Oct. 4, 1932 2,078,416 Sauer Apr. 27, 1937 2,376,945 Stine May 29, 1945 2,454,924 Hurst Nov. 30, 1948 2,478,607 Theler et a1 Aug. 9, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 553,774 France Feb. 16, 1923 625,946 France May 2, 1927 

